Hooked On Beautyhttp://www.hookedonbeauty.com
Lipstick and LifeMon, 02 Mar 2015 21:19:06 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.1Easter Decorating Ideas (For Your House, Kids, and Dogs!)http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/easter-decorating-ideas-for-your-house-kids-and-dogs/
http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/easter-decorating-ideas-for-your-house-kids-and-dogs/#respondMon, 02 Mar 2015 21:19:06 +0000http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/?p=6227Easter is just 5 weeks away (bring on spring!) which had me up last night looking through Etsy combing through all things Easter for some inspiration. I’ve never decorated the house for a holiday other than Christmas so I wasn’t sure where to begin. Now that I’m inspired, I wanted to share a few things I saw to get your house, kids, and even dogs ready for Easter.

Easter Baskets JennLorynDesigns $17: You can pick your basket’s color, font color, and font type for monograming and personalization. I made some for the girls last year, but if you’re not a DIY kinda mom, these are the next best thing.

Tulip Wreath from HomeHearthGarden $78: Why should Christmas have all the fun? I love the idea of a bright spring wreath that will brighten my door well after the Easter holiday.

Easter Banner from OneTinyHeart $12: This shop has the cutest banners, I’m torn between this one below or THIS one with two rows and bunnies.

Felt Easter Eggs Schnuffelinis $3.50 ea: My plan is to buy a bunch of these to fill up a few small vases or lanterns for the mantle. The texture gives them a modern twist on the cheap looking plastic eggs so they’re better for decorating and will last for years to come.

Easter Basket Dog Hat StylinDogsBoutique $12: This is might be the most amazing thing ever invented. I want to order the dog too.

Grain Free Dog Cookies begginbarkery $12: If your dogs have baskets of their own (we still do holiday gifts for our dogs!) then you can give them special made grain-free treats in a festive bunny shape.

My First Easter Outfit PoshPeanutKids $17: I could look through this store all day long, it’s one of my favorites for cute kids clothes at great prices. This little tutu outfit would be the perfect for a little one’s 1st Easter.

Boy’s Bow Ties LilGents $18: Seersucker anything on boys is so cute and this shop does only boys clothes so their tie selection is among the best around.

]]>http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/easter-decorating-ideas-for-your-house-kids-and-dogs/feed/010 Must Have Face Maskshttp://www.hookedonbeauty.com/10-must-have-face-masks/
http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/10-must-have-face-masks/#respondFri, 27 Feb 2015 19:49:57 +0000http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/?p=6216Few treatments give your skin that fresh from the spa look like a good mask (or as Harper says ‘mask-is’). I think it’s so exciting that in just 20 minutes you can have noticeably better looking skin which is maybe why I have so damn many of them. This is my stock pile of masks from which I grab a selection like a personalized prescription for whatever skin ailment I’m suffering. It’s a mix of natural, luxury, and DIY for all price points. Check out my faves and grab the one that will work best for you.

1. Royal Jelly in Honey $15: After reading about the gazillion health benefits of Royal Jelly, I started taking a capsule of it daily and I bought this little jar for a mask. I found it at Vitamin Cottage, (Whole Foods didn’t have any) so it might take some digging to find but it’s so worth it. I’ve been using it twice a week since I’ve had 2 back to back chemical peels with a 3rd on the way, so gentle products are just what my skin needs to soothe and heal. I find that it does give my skin a glow and calms redness, it’s like a shot of vitamins for the skin.

2. Erno Laszlo Beta Mask $52: This is a straight up breakout mask complete with green clay and that cool, tingly feeling. It’s not harsh but you really want to make sure your skin needs this treatment and isn’t too sensitive. It works to calm inflammation and you can also use it as a spot treatment overnight.

3. Nature’s Way Activated Charcoal, Capsules $7: You should have these sitting around, mask or not. I believe these prevented me from getting the stomach flu that both Mike and Harper had at the same time because charcoal soaks up all sorts of contaminants whether it’s used to treat water, your stomach, or your skin, charcoal has been safely used for years to purify whatever it touches. I wrote about the mask I make using these pills which works so well it actually changes the tone of my skin (maybe because it calms redness and dullness?) The biggest draw back for me is the obvious, it’s so messy and stains your washcloth, and it’s hard to remove. BUT it’s well worth it every so often because it’s natural and gives such amazing results.

4. Priori Replenishing Masque $60: This is perfect when you’re feeling dry and tight and need to refresh your skin with a cooling mask that isn’t clay based. It’s a cream mask rich with vitamins and fruit acids that give a gentle exfoliation and tons of moisture to plump up dehydrated skin and kick out dullness.

5. Éminence Clean Skin Probiotic Masque $54: Éminence is so hard to find but once you do, you’ll be hooked. It’s what my friend and facialist uses, and has for many years. She’s so convinced that it changes skin and preserves its health that she has me buying it too. It’s natural and effective- this mask is a powerful tingly blast that calms breakouts instantly. It’s not a clay mask, it’s creamy because it’s made with yogurt, cucumber, shea butter, and other safe ingredients that soften and heal the skin instead of just drying it out. It’s pricy, but it’s worth it.

6. Vivant Skin Care Algae Soft Mask $30: I got this half price on Hautelook last year and have been so happy with its results. Vivant is a medical grade line specializing in serious skincare that I’ve used on and off for years. This has been my #1 go-to when I want something easy once a week that won’t take forever to scrub off. It’s a creamy clay that feels really calming and refreshing and it’s great for all skin types. It’s in an aloe base with algae and amino acids to stimulate collagen. Simple yet effective.

7. Ole Henriksen Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask $34: Ole sent this one to me a while back when I was just getting more into using an enzyme pre-mask. What does that mean? If you get a facial, you’ll typically have an enzyme put onto your skin first whether it’s fruit based (papaya, berry, pineapple), or something like a glycolic, AHA, or lactic acid. Enzymes break down proteins and will help to dissolve that waxy layer of dead skin so that the rest of the products can be better absorbed. It’s now rare that I only mask without first using an enzyme for about 10 minutes followed by a hot washcloth steam. I’ve found a night and day difference in results when I prep my skin like this first. This mask uses papaya and berry enzymes and looks like a thick gel. It can be used solo and not as a first step before another mask, but that’s the way I feel it works best.

8. Naturopathica Sweet Cherry Brightening Enzyme Peel $56: Every time I use this I want to eat it- it smells just like cherry pie filling. Naturopathica blends together lactic acid, cherry puree, wine extract, and salicylic for an enzyme treatment that works amazingly well. It brightens and exfoliates after a few minutes so well that you can see your skin glow. This jar is old (I think they sent it to me 2 years ago) but I haven’t had the heart to toss it out. Mostly because that means I might have to buy a new one and it’s expensive for this 1.7oz jar but a safer alternative than other chemical versions.

9. boscia Luminizing Black Mask $34: This is I believe my 4th tube of this peel-off mask and one I’ll always have around. It’s a cult classic for a reason. If you’re looking for a do-it-all mask for all skin types, this is the one for you. I love a peel-off mask because you can see an imprint your skin on the back of it once it’s off. There’s something about seeing what’s been removed from your face that’s so gross but really gratifying.

10. Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay $7: If I haven’t already convinced you to buy this one, you really need to. It’s a giant tub of pure powder clay that you can mix with water or apple cider vinegar for a classic mud mask that sucks out impurities and literally makes your face pulsate. If you take a before and after, you’ll see a brighter complexion I guarantee. It’s pretty amazing stuff and one tub will last years.

]]>http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/10-must-have-face-masks/feed/04 Reasons to Stop Using Plastic Sippy Cupshttp://www.hookedonbeauty.com/4-reasons-to-stop-using-plastic-sippy-cups/
http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/4-reasons-to-stop-using-plastic-sippy-cups/#respondTue, 24 Feb 2015 03:29:55 +0000http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/?p=6208We’re in full-on ‘greening’ mode around here. We have some sort of water problem in our house that we’re trying to solve. It’s not just a little thing either, I’m talking sponge baths for the girls and drinking from filtered pitchers type of problem. After Everly’s 2 trips to the hospital for bronchiolitis (and almost another over the weekend!) we’re pinpointing our water and speicifially her bathroom which always has a strong chlorine odor. We also use this water to fill up her humidifier that we run day and night. It’s scary and exhausting and all 4 of us right now are sick, drained, and ready for things to start looking up. All of the research I’m doing along with just trying to keep the girls well has me looking into some of our day to day life to see where I can ‘green up’ where I can. Sigg sent me some aluminum kids water bottles a few weeks back that we’ve been using. There was something about those plastic sippy cups I never really liked, but I wasn’t sure what else to use. These bottles aren’t for babies, I’d say a year and up or whenever they can hold the bottle and drink from different hard tops and straws. Regardless of what you choose, really look into those ubiquitous plastic sippy cups and consider these reasons that prompted me to make the switch. 1. The tops are exposed: For me this is the biggest problem. On a sippy cup the spouts are raised and exposed which means they bump into and collect every gross germ out there. Sigg’s kids bottles have flip tops that cover the water spout, look for something that does the same to keep the area where your child’s mouth goes as clean as possible. 2. Hard to clean: The surface of the plastic is porrus so they stain easily. Also the chamber leading up to the spout is so narrow that it’s hard to scrub especially after smoothies or juice.

There’s a flip top over the spout. Much better.

3. BPA-Free doesn’t mean safe: Most plastics made for children’s products are now BPA-free which I thought meant safe until I started reading how there really isn’t such a thing as a safe plastic (good read HERE.) When it comes to something they’re consuming and putting in their mouths daily, it might not be worth the risk. 4. Small: Sippy cups are tiny so we’re constantly filling them up which is hard when we’re out.

“I want orange juice and pom in my mermaid bottle please.”

The only drawback was the lack of handle, so I’ll probably buy one of these to convert it to something easier for Everly (16 mos) to hold, but for Harper (2) it’s fine.

]]>http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/4-reasons-to-stop-using-plastic-sippy-cups/feed/0Makeup Before and After: Where to Get the Sold Out Eye Shadow Palette I Lovehttp://www.hookedonbeauty.com/makeup-before-and-after-where-to-get-the-sold-out-eye-shadow-palette-i-love/
http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/makeup-before-and-after-where-to-get-the-sold-out-eye-shadow-palette-i-love/#commentsMon, 23 Feb 2015 08:45:26 +0000http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/?p=6195I knew the girls from last weekend’s wedding at the Four Seasons here in Denver which made my day even more fun than usual. Julie is 7 months pregnant (congrats!!) with her 2nd child so she has a great glow to her skin. We just evened her out and gave her a smoky plum look with bright pink lips. Honestly though, it was all about the lashes. Here are the highlights from the look.

Eye Shadow: Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette $60 This has quickly become my favorite and most used palette (below.) It might be sold out or cleared away for spring because I can’t find it at Sephora anymore, only eBay and Macy’s (HERE) it’s huge with a ton of unusual but still wearable shades. The palette itself is obnoxious, so I depotted it into a ZPalette. For Julie’s look, I used their taupes and plums.

Powder: Koh Gen Do Face Powder $42 it’s the best there is and I’ve tried them all. It sets while letting the skin’s natural texture come through and never looks chalky.

It wasn’t really a New Year’s resolution, just a thought I had around that same time about how tired I was spending money on Starbucks every time I left the house. I have their $1 to-go cups that give me the same feeling as hanging on to my grande chai, so I’m ready to DIY my own drinks and leave the house caffeine equipped and ready to conquer the day. I guess the only problem was that every time I’d make my own drink it tasted like a watery glass of nothing. It lacked that creamy body you get from a Starbucks latte, so I’d toss it and drive through to buy a new one even though I already had mine from home. I bought so many things not knowing what the problem was; different flavors and types of syrups, various coffees, chai mixes, and every milk under the sun. Why could I not replicate a 2 ingredient drink that they whip up in minutes? Then it finally came to me. I didn’t have a frother.

It’s not that I didn’t whip my latte, I’ve had this $8 one for 10 years (which my sister in law Lori swears does the same job btw, I just didn’t have that experience.) I needed a hard core milk frother that gave tons of creamy foam and a richer consistency to my drink to liven it up.

I researched for days and decided on this Breville Frother $129 which turned out to be the missing link in my latte game. You see, all of those fancy flavored syrups and expensive roasted expresso beans don’t mean a thing unless your drink resembles that creamy, foam-topped one that you’ve been drinking for years. And don’t talk to me about the price of the machine because if you’re stopping for a grande drink 5 days a week that’s around $80 a month and almost $1000 a year (not including the banana bread or whatever else you add tp your order.) Our Starbucks stops were around $20 with Mike’s drink, mine, and apple juices for the girls. Since I’ve bought this machine a few months back I’ve gone to Starbucks exactly twice. I know it’s saving me money.

So now I use my grande cup at home and fill it 1/3 of the way (like Starbucks does!) with green tea. I whip organic almond milk and a squirt of honey together and pour it in the cup. Done. Easy, healthy, and way cheaper than what I was spending before.

]]>http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/how-to-make-a-perfect-latte/feed/0The Best Natural Treatments for Acnehttp://www.hookedonbeauty.com/the-best-natural-treatments-for-acne/
http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/the-best-natural-treatments-for-acne/#commentsMon, 16 Feb 2015 21:02:45 +0000http://www.hookedonbeauty.com/?p=6170I didn’t know products existed like this before some serious research after a recent trip to my derm left me with 3 prescriptions I didn’t want to use, especially because one was a blood pressure medication that somehow clears up skin as a unintended side effect. No thanks. This 3 step routine I created is without the use of benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, and retinols so it’s safe for pregnancy and teens and works wonders for clearing up acne and making skin glow. They’re holistic, organic, and gently formulated but work better than anything else I’ve tried. Check out the routine I’ve become so loyal to, and share it with anyone you think might need a little skin help.

Step 1: DermaKlear Akne Treatment Soap with Sulfur $7: My doc gave me a prescription and a bunch of samples for Avar, a runny cleanser with 2% sulfur that’s meant to clear skin. After using it once I knew it wasn’t for me, too thin and didn’t remove makeup or even dirt for that matter. DermaKlear’s bar soap really foams up and removes everything without drying the skin using 5% sulfur in an aloe base.

Step 2: Forces of Nature Acne/Pimple Control $25 The priciest of the bunch, but it comes with a one year guarantee that it will work. I first wet a cotton pad with plain Witch Hazel and then add 2 drops of this liquid so the combination acts as a toner to remove additional oils from the skin and medicate at the same time. This gives my face a minty fresh sort of feeling and reduces redness and swelling. It’s the only certified organic registered medicine designed for the treatment of acne. It works within days without any irritation or peeling whatsoever.

Step 3: Natralia Acne Rescue Cream $13 I’m obsessed with this cream and will be using it for a long time. If anyone struggles with even the occasional breakout I would absolutely recommend this, that’s how well I believe it works. It gives a slight tingle to the skin with just enough hydration but isn’t the least bit drying. It kills 99.8% of bacteria in the skin while also improving the appearance of redness and scaring. I’ve never used a cream for acne that’s so gentle and effective.

Healing the skin doesn’t have to mean peeling, flaking, and punishing it even more. Check out these natural solutions and let me know how well they worked for you.